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Some chatter on Snoopers’ Charter

Back in 2015 the UK government commissioned an independent review of the investigatory powers held by police and intelligence agencies in this digital age. This resulted in a report that suggested new laws be created. Cut to Snoopers’ Charter being drafted up. Then cut to privacy-proponents all over the world (like us) reading the bill and being so shocked that we choke on our morning hay.

What's the Snooper's Charter?

This alarming piece of legislature essentially gives the government permission to collect the phone call logs, texts, emails, and web browsing activities of any citizen. The bill mandates that all communication companies retain these files upon the government’s orders. It’s a gross misappropriation of power. It shatters the tenets of privacy. And it really steams my oats.

Fortunately, the human rights group Liberty spearheaded an effort to bring the bill before a high court for a judicial review last month. Liberty made the case that Snoopers’ Charter is unlawful due to the government’s unchecked power to retain public data without first getting independent authorization. They also flag that data retention on any citizen can be ordered, even if that citizen is not suspected of a serious crime.

In a surprising move of life-affirming good sense, the court agreed with Liberty! Maybe all is not lost after all. The high court gave the bill six months to be amended, asking to see a revised version on November 1, 2018.

In the meantime, Liberty says it has more legal challenges planned, to which we bray, “Hee-haw! You go, Liberty! Let freedom ring! Challenge that monstrous legislature, and champion everyone’s right to privacy! You have our support!”

What can you do about it?

While the fate of the bill has yet to play out, we think this is the perfect time to suggest the entire population of the UK get VPNs.

Um, that’s not a joke. We actually recommend that everyone in the world get a VPN. There’s never been a more important time to do so. Be proactive. Your privacy (or lack thereof) is in your own hands these days.

VPNs are the very best way to protect online privacy. Cybercriminals, advertisers, communication giants, and yes, even government agencies are thwarted when they try to spy on someone using a VPN. To learn more about this increasingly essential tool, check out our privacy blogs.